Edited from my November 2, 2024 (11:32 AM) comment:
The 425-seat Burley Theatre opened its doors on Christmas Day 1946 with Red Skelton in “The Show-Off” along with the Bugs Bunny Merrie Melodie “Hare Remover” and an unnamed musical short. It briefly last operated as a weekend-only theater before closing in June 1952.
Edited from my November 2, 2024 (11:24 AM) comment:
The 1945 fire happened on December 8, 1945, which according to an article confirms that the theater had been remodeled beforehand. The fire not just damaged the theater, but also destroyed the theater completely to the ground, costing an estimate $100,000 in damages.
The fire that destroyed the Shelby left Shelbyville without a movie theater until Chakeres launched the Burley Theatre the following year on Christmas Day 1946. Prior to that theater’s opening, moviegoers went to see movies in nearby Eminence to see that year’s first-run attractions, including “The Harvey Girls” and “Ziegfeld Follies Of 1946” among others.
It was completely rebuilt two years later and Chakeres reopened the Shelby Theatre on March 4, 1948 with Ronald Reagan in “The Voice Of The Turtle” along with the Looney Tunes cartoon “What’s Brewin', Bruin?” starring The Three Bears (Henry “Papa” Bear, Mama Bear, and Junior Bear) and a newsreel. The 1948-rebuilt Shelby housed 760 maroon upholstered seats with automatic lifts that precludes stumbling over other pulled-down seats in the dark (with 652 seats in the main auditorium and 108 seats in the balcony for colored patrons), and featured RCA sound installations as well as blue velvet curtaining.
Information about the Shelby as of its 1948 remodeling goes as follows: Inside the former that is largely decorated in purple, patrons enter the theater through massive blue metal doors into an auditorium carpeted in wine. The auditorium rock wool base side walls pick up a blue figure in the wine carpeting striking figured satin damask panels which carried full sound treatment. There is a full stage large enough to accommodate traveling theatricals, with dressing rooms beneath the stage. At the rear of the theater is a standee rail which is upholstered in beige fabric, which, with the soft padding, makes the patron easy to lean against. Semi-concealed lighting in back of the standee rail emits from gold neon tubes. In the center are drinking fountains framed in flexi glass, and there are also ladies lounge and powder rooms opening off to the right as the patrons enter and the gentlemen’s smoking lounge at the left rear. In addition to the balcony upstairs, the restrooms for colored patrons, and the manager’s office and uniform storage rooms are also presented.
The Shelby Theatre was lastly known as the “New Shelby Theatre” for a brief time before eventually closing its doors for the final time without any announcement in mid-November 1967.
The Centerville Cinemas actually closed on January 21, 2002, and Washington Township bought the theater that May for $2.25 million. One reason of closure is dwindling business. The dead Centerville building was renovated a couple years later after sitting abandoned, and the former theater itself became a recreation center.
Its not a fun fact of imagination, its both real and true. I just looked information about the theater up on the Dayton Daily News archives. A January 19, 1993 article by Terry Lawson confirms that Screens 3 and 4 closed the previous day because of the leases of both auditoriums expired, and the staff had no reason for National Amusements' decision not to renew their leases. The article also says that Screen 2 “will” (which had) closed the following Monday on January 25, 1993.
This actually closed on September 25, 1983, closing after a 24-week run of “Flashdance” in Screen 1 and the double-feature of “Tootsie” and “The Survivors” in Screen 2.
The Atlantic Drive-In actually closed on December 1, 1985 with “Krush Groove”, “The Annihilators”, and “Silverado II”. Its advertisements listed the theater as “Pleasantville” instead of “Egg Harbor Township” for some strange reason.
Expanded to 12 screens on July 18, 1986, and expanded to 16 screens on Christmas Day 1987, marking it one of the very first 16-screen multiplexes and one of the largest multiplex theaters ever at the time.
Opened as early as 1974 as the Hunt’s Rio Twin Theaters, and was renamed the Rick’s Twin Movies around 1990. It was last known as Rick’s Super Saver before closing in December 1996. It was Frank Theatres that last operated the theater.
Edited from my November 2, 2024 (11:32 AM) comment:
The 425-seat Burley Theatre opened its doors on Christmas Day 1946 with Red Skelton in “The Show-Off” along with the Bugs Bunny Merrie Melodie “Hare Remover” and an unnamed musical short. It briefly last operated as a weekend-only theater before closing in June 1952.
Edited from my November 2, 2024 (11:24 AM) comment:
The 1945 fire happened on December 8, 1945, which according to an article confirms that the theater had been remodeled beforehand. The fire not just damaged the theater, but also destroyed the theater completely to the ground, costing an estimate $100,000 in damages.
The fire that destroyed the Shelby left Shelbyville without a movie theater until Chakeres launched the Burley Theatre the following year on Christmas Day 1946. Prior to that theater’s opening, moviegoers went to see movies in nearby Eminence to see that year’s first-run attractions, including “The Harvey Girls” and “Ziegfeld Follies Of 1946” among others.
It was completely rebuilt two years later and Chakeres reopened the Shelby Theatre on March 4, 1948 with Ronald Reagan in “The Voice Of The Turtle” along with the Looney Tunes cartoon “What’s Brewin', Bruin?” starring The Three Bears (Henry “Papa” Bear, Mama Bear, and Junior Bear) and a newsreel. The 1948-rebuilt Shelby housed 760 maroon upholstered seats with automatic lifts that precludes stumbling over other pulled-down seats in the dark (with 652 seats in the main auditorium and 108 seats in the balcony for colored patrons), and featured RCA sound installations as well as blue velvet curtaining.
Information about the Shelby as of its 1948 remodeling goes as follows: Inside the former that is largely decorated in purple, patrons enter the theater through massive blue metal doors into an auditorium carpeted in wine. The auditorium rock wool base side walls pick up a blue figure in the wine carpeting striking figured satin damask panels which carried full sound treatment. There is a full stage large enough to accommodate traveling theatricals, with dressing rooms beneath the stage. At the rear of the theater is a standee rail which is upholstered in beige fabric, which, with the soft padding, makes the patron easy to lean against. Semi-concealed lighting in back of the standee rail emits from gold neon tubes. In the center are drinking fountains framed in flexi glass, and there are also ladies lounge and powder rooms opening off to the right as the patrons enter and the gentlemen’s smoking lounge at the left rear. In addition to the balcony upstairs, the restrooms for colored patrons, and the manager’s office and uniform storage rooms are also presented.
The Shelby Theatre was lastly known as the “New Shelby Theatre” for a brief time before eventually closing its doors for the final time without any announcement in mid-November 1967.
The Centerville Cinemas actually closed on January 21, 2002, and Washington Township bought the theater that May for $2.25 million. One reason of closure is dwindling business. The dead Centerville building was renovated a couple years later after sitting abandoned, and the former theater itself became a recreation center.
Its not a fun fact of imagination, its both real and true. I just looked information about the theater up on the Dayton Daily News archives. A January 19, 1993 article by Terry Lawson confirms that Screens 3 and 4 closed the previous day because of the leases of both auditoriums expired, and the staff had no reason for National Amusements' decision not to renew their leases. The article also says that Screen 2 “will” (which had) closed the following Monday on January 25, 1993.
This actually closed on September 25, 1983, closing after a 24-week run of “Flashdance” in Screen 1 and the double-feature of “Tootsie” and “The Survivors” in Screen 2.
Closed on August 2, 2009.
This was a replacement of the Summit Theatre, also in Clarks Summit, that was destroyed by a massive fire in January 1945.
This was Western Nebraska’s largest theater until the fire happened.
Actual closing date is September 13, 1990.
Closed in late-April 1996.
An August 1987 article confirms that the Skylark is already abandoned, showing a speaker pole with both speakers surrounded with flowers and weeds.
Operated as early as 1952.
Opened on December 15, 1966.
Edited from my May 27, 2025 (9:54 PM) comment:
The Atlantic Drive-In actually closed on December 1, 1985 with “Krush Groove”, “The Annihilators”, and “Silverado II”. Its advertisements listed the theater as “Pleasantville” instead of “Egg Harbor Township” for some strange reason.
Closed on October 21, 2001.
Closed on September 2, 1991 with “Doc Hollywood” in Screen 1 and “Regarding Henry” in Screen 2.
I cannot find the actual closing date, but was still open in 1976.
Once operated by Frank Theatres, expanded to four screens during the 1980s. It was closed on September 2, 1996.
Last operated by Frank Theatres. It was closed on September 9, 1990 with “Air America” in Screen 1 and “The Exorcist III” in Screen 2.
Once operated by Frank Theatres.
Expanded to 12 screens on July 18, 1986, and expanded to 16 screens on Christmas Day 1987, marking it one of the very first 16-screen multiplexes and one of the largest multiplex theaters ever at the time.
Opened as early as 1974 as the Hunt’s Rio Twin Theaters, and was renamed the Rick’s Twin Movies around 1990. It was last known as Rick’s Super Saver before closing in December 1996. It was Frank Theatres that last operated the theater.
Closed on August 31, 1986 with “Bullies” and “Ninja Turf” in Screen 1 and “Demons” and “Madmen Possessions” in Screen 2.
Sheffield Theatres was its later operator after GCC.
That’s a LOT of money for a drive-in’s property after closure.